{"id":9149,"date":"2025-12-04T09:13:17","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T16:13:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/?p=9149"},"modified":"2025-12-04T09:13:18","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T16:13:18","slug":"7-local-search-ranking-factors-that-may-challenge-your-current-thinking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/whitespark.ca\/blog\/7-local-search-ranking-factors-that-may-challenge-your-current-thinking\/","title":{"rendered":"7 Local Search Ranking Factors That May Challenge Your Current Thinking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Local SEO is nuanced and sometimes mysterious. It happens to all of us that we have a strong sense of how some factor does\/doesn\u2019t influence visibility, until we see a study that proves us totally wrong! At other times, we have an unspoken gut feeling about some facet of Google\u2019s behavior that an industry peer suddenly validates by voicing that they\u2019ve been noticing the same thing. Those a-ha!<\/em> moments can be valuable to finessing or completely changing the tactics you\u2019re employing for your brand or clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019ve been working in local search for a short time or for years, \u201cnorms\u201d are always open to change. Today, I want to share seven takeaways from the amazing new Whitespark Local Search Ranking Factors 2026 report<\/a> that may challenge your current thinking about what\u2019s influencing visibility and even how to do local SEO!\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a personal note, I\u2019ve been involved with this survey of the world\u2019s top local SEO experts since it launched nearly 20 years ago, and I have to say, the information in the 2026 edition is of outstanding value to creating your digital marketing strategy for local brands in the new year. I recommend reading the full report, but for now, let\u2019s fast-track to some really interesting findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Hiding SAB GBP addresses may not impact rank like you think it does<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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It may be the most loathed line in all of Google\u2019s guidelines<\/a>, instructing service area businesses (SABs) to hide their addresses on their Google Business Profiles (GBPs). Why? Because for years, we\u2019ve witnessed the negative ranking impact on brands that comply with the guidelines, and we\u2019ve had this phenomenon documented in good studies like this one from Sterling Sky<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s one of those givens in the local SEO industry that Google instructs SABs to do something that harms their visibility in local packs and Maps, causing a great deal of ill-feeling. In the new\u00a0 Local Search Ranking Factors report, having a visible address is the 7th most influential factor on local rank.<\/strong> I thought I knew everything there was to know about this old tale of SAB woe until Darren Shaw blew my mind with this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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